l60 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



birds arrive in small numbers about the end of May, and mostly- 

 pass northward, only a few pairs remaining on the islands to breed. 



{Palmer.) 



LXXXIX. STBGANOPUS Vielliot. 1819. 

 224. Wilson Phalarope. 



Steganopus tricolor Vieill. 1819. 



Occasional in Quebec. (Dionne.) An accidental visitor in 

 Ontario. (Mcllwraith.) Rare migrant at Toronto, Ont. (/. H. 

 Fleming.) This is a common species throughout the whole prairie 

 region, breeding by marshy ponds in all suitable places, from Pem- 

 bina to the Rocky mountains, and may reach Hudson bay, as a 

 phalarope record from Fort Severn by Murray is thought to be 

 this species. Richardson says it does not extend to the north 

 farther than lat. 55°. Fannin has not seen it and Brooks only once 

 positively identified it in the Fraser River valley, at Chilliwack. 



Breeding Notes. — ^This species was first seen, May i8th, 1892 ^ 

 at Indian Head, Sask., but never became common, although it 

 breeds in large numbers in the "sloughs" to the south of Deep lake. 

 Its habits are much Uke those of the sandpipers as it runs up and 

 down the shore like them and swims very little. On June 23rd, a 

 young one had three black stripes on the back, one reaching from 

 the base of the bill to the rump. The rest of the body was bright 

 buff, almost orange. This species is common from Indian Head to 

 Edmonton, Alberta, nesting among short grass in low damp ground 

 near the water. Nest, a shallow hole in the ground, lined with a 

 little grass. Young leave the nest as soon as hatched. (Spread- 

 borough.) This species breeds at Reabum, Man., Rush lake, Sask., 

 and Buffalo lake, Alberta. (Dippie.) A number of nests of this 

 species were taken by the writer on June 5th and 6th, 1895, at 

 Twelve-mile lake, near Wood mountain, Sask. They contained 

 from three to four eggs each. The nest was a small hole in the 

 ground, generally between bunches of old grass, in a dry spot, 

 either in, or on the borders of, a marsh. One nest was in a tuft of 

 wild barley (Hordeum jubatum). Quite common at Crane lake, 

 Sask., and breeding, 1894. Found a nest with eggs nearly hatched 

 on June 7th. Nest on the ground beside a tuft of grass; breeding 

 also in a marshy pond at the east end of Cypress hills, June 26th, 



